Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

I would recommend this trip to anyone who was considering it! Past Review

By (Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge) - abroad from 05/15/2019 to 06/06/2019 with

International Business Seminars: Summer Europe

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
What I learned from my experience abroad is how a culture affects a business’ practices. The typical American business culture is to earn as much money as possible. European culture is much different in that they are concerned about environmental conservation and many people are not concerned with advancement in their career or making more money. The European culture is to take things slow and to be content with what you have, and this is reflected in their workplaces. I hope that learning the differences in culture will help me in my future career if I have to conduct business with people from other countries where I might need a deeper understanding of their culture.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

This is not a traditional learning experience. You are up close and personal with business professionals and get to learn from their experiences.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The only thing that was bad was the hotel in Italy had not turned on their AC for the year. Thank goodness the temps only stayed in the 70's!

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not experience this.

* Safety:

I never doubted my safety. The subway in Paris was a little sketchy but that was during my free time.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

IBS is such an amazing program! I attended their summer Europe seminar and it was such an awesome experience. You get the time you want to immerse yourself in the culture and enjoy the different cities while also studying the different business practices! I'd have to say my favorite part of the trip was that it was the perfect amount of time to be out of the country. Other programs offer a semester long experience but I did not want to miss everything that was happening on my own campus. IBS gave me the opportunity to travel without experiencing the FOMO (fear of missing out) that I had about traditional programs. The staff on the trip were very experienced and were able to help me with any problems that occurred on the trip and knew what to expect at every turn. I would recommend this program to everyone!

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

You can budget how you see fit but you must provide most of your own meals for lunch and dinner. A lot of financial planning was done on my part beforehand.

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Learn where the local groceries are!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The faculty
  • the free time
  • the business meetings
* What could be improved?
  • Structured group discussions
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Be expected to live out of your suitcase the entire time. Learn to stay organized. Invest in packing cubes.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!